Vehicle exhaust systems are installed in assembly plants with the partially assembled chassis and body at an overhead assembly station having access to the underbody area. Isolators made of elastomeric, or rubber-like, material are assembled between the frame and exhaust system to reduce noise and vibrations that may otherwise be transmitted to the vehicle body. Isolators may be furnished to the line as a part-in-assembly with the exhaust system. Limited space is available in the locations where the isolators are assembled to a frame pin on the vehicle frame to assemble the exhaust system to the frame.
The isolator may be preinstalled on an exhaust hanger pin that is received in a lower hole defined by the isolator. The isolator is bent away from the frame to clear the end of the frame pin that is then pushed into an upper hole defined by the isolator to complete the installation of the isolator.
Considerable assembly effort and substantial force is required to bend back the isolator and then push the isolator onto the frame pin for installing the isolator. Current ergonomic standards limit the amount of force required to assemble the isolators to a force of between 8 and 13 pounds.
The exhaust pipe and muffler are below the frame pin and limit the space available to grasp and manipulate the isolator, which further complicates the assembly operation. In some cases, the operation may be a blind assembly operation because the exhaust pipe and muffler obscure the operator's view. The difficulty of the assembly operation increases the risk of partial or incomplete assembly in an area that is obscured from view.
This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.